Araya Bible Site

The intriguing story of the Araya Bible Site is that before 1911, there were no reports of any Christian activity in any of the Isoko towns. Then in 1914, when Mrs. Esievo and other women were hurrying up to ferry their yield, suddenly they discovered a large Bible and a supposedly letter on the tubers of yams spread on the sandy beach. The yams and everything else were soaked and dripping with water but the open Bible and the accompanying letter were dry. The Holy Bible was believed to have descended to this spot miraculously from heaven.

Araya, by the way, a small fishing village with a population of about 6,000, is one of the four quarters belonging to the Aviara clan namely: Araya, Ezietuhro, Iyebiou and Ohrode. At the site stands a small white cathedral with about 31 pew capable of accommodating about 120 worshippers.

The monument, cordoned off by two lines of chains, stands in the very spot where the Bible was said to have dropped from heaven. The monument stands about seven feet above the ground carrying a pulpit upraised in the form of an altar. Three objects stand on top of the altar; a cross, an open book depicting the Fallen Holy Bible standing atop 12 tubers of yam. At the middle of the altar is written: ‘The Miracle of the Araya Holy Bible August 1914’.

On the wall of the cathedral is a tablet containing the 14 dos and the don’ts for every pilgrim to the site. They include that there should be no form of trading or any form of business while at the site; no cooking or any form of fire; no wearing of ornaments in the form of consecration; no entry into the monument proper; no crusade; must be tidy; and above all only three days can be spent in the place and pilgrims must maintain absolute quietness.

There is light in Araya, but the only semblance of light at the Bible Site is a blue kerosene lantern standing at the corner of the monument. At the back of the small cathedral is a small house apparently, for conveniences. The place itself is surrounded by not too large trees at the confluence of the Aya lake and the fast running waters that empty into the Ase River which in turn flows into the River Niger.

The site now makes up as “Nigeria’s Jerusalem” as it attracts thousands of Christian Pilgrims, especially during the Easter Season. It is easier to access this site during the dry season. Araya is in Isoko South Local Government Area and access is by road from Warri through Ughelli and Oleh or from Asaba through Kwale and Oleh to Araya.